GB2357023A

GB2357023A - Cooker

Info

Publication number: GB2357023A
Application number: GB0022010A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chong-Mo Chung
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-09-10
Filing date: 2000-09-07
Publication date: 2001-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-07
Also published as: US6337469B1; CN1288130A; JP2001099427A; GB2357023B; CN1136414C; JP3636648B2; GB0022010D0

Abstract

A cooker, more particularly a microwave oven, has a dual mode rotary input device (30). In a first mode the input device (30) is used in conjunction with a display (35) for selecting a foodstuff group. Thereafter, in a second mode, the input device (30) is used in conjunction with a display (12) to select a foodstuff within the selected foodstuff group. The oven then operates in accordance with the selections made using the input device (30).

Description

2357023 41 - 1 - Cooker

Description

The present invention relates to a cooker.

For the sake of convenience, the present invention will be described with reference to a microwave oven as an exemplary cooker.

Microwave ovens generally cook food using microwaves generated by a magnetron.

The magnetron's operating time and intensity of the microwaves generated by the magnetron, which correspond to cooking time and temperature, need to be varied depending upon the kind of food to be cooked. Often, provision is made for these parameters to be set either automatically or manually.

In the manual cooking mode, a user can set a desired cooking time and temperature.

When the cooking time and temperature have been set by the user, a controller in the oven drives the magnetron to cook food using to the set time and temperature.

In contrast, in the automatic cooking mode, the user can use a menu display provided on the front of the microwave oven to set the cooking parameters. When the user selects a particular menu, the controller reads out the cooking parameters for the selected menu from the memory and drives the magnetron to cook food accordingly.

Referring to Figure 9, a known control panel of a microwave oven has a support plate 101 installed at the front of a component chamber (not shown) formed in the microwave oven. Four menu displays 110 are formed in respective boxes in the upper part of the support plate 101. A rotary knob 120 for selecting a desired menu is located below the menu displays 110. A menu selection button 121 and a cooking start button 122 are located respectively at the left and right sides of the lower part of the support plate 101.

Each menu display 110 has a centrally located menu group bar 113 (A, B, C, D), light-emitting diode (LED) 117 to the left of the menu group bar 113, and a Case: 36\601 plurality of menu bars 111, indicating respectively "Popcorn," "Warming," "Thawing," etc., to the right of the menu group bar 113. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 115 are aligned with respective menu bars 111 to the left thereof. The LEDs 115, 117 are mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown) installed between the support plate 101 and the component chamber (not shown), and are visible to users of the microwave oven.

The illumination of the LEDs 115, 117 is controlled by the position of the rotary knob 120 and operation of the menu selection button 121 by a driver (not shown).

When a user presses the menu selection button 121, the LED driver drives the LEDs 115, 117 of one menu display 110 according to the angular position of the rotary knob 120. The user can select his or her desired menu group and menu by rotating the rotary knob 120.

The LEDs corresponding to the desired menu group and menu are lighted, and then the user selects the desired menu by operating a switch for menu selection (not shown). The menu selection switch is configured to co-operate with the rotation of the rotary knob 120.

Then, when the user presses the cooking start button 122, a controller (not shown) reads out cooking parameters for the menu selected by the user from the memory and drives the magnetron accordingly.

However, because the support plate has a limited area in the known microwave oven, only a limited number of menus can be displayed. As the menu group bars or menu bars increase in number, selecting a menu becomes inconvenient. In addition, since the number of LEDs increases, the circuit becomes undesirably complicated.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cooker including user input means, display means, memory storing data identifying a plurality of foodstuff groups, foodstuffs within said groups and cooking operation control data for said foodstuffs, and a controller for controlling operation of the oven in dependence on -3 operation of the user input means and said data, wherein the user input means is a manually moveable element and the controller is operable in a first mode to display said foodstuff groups for selection of a foodstuff group by means of said manually moveable element and in a second mode, immediately succeeding selection of a foodstuff group in said first mode, to display the foodstuffs within the selected group for selection of a foodstuff by means of said manually moveable element.

Preferably, the manually moveable element comprises a rotary knob.

More preferably, the user input means comprises a switch operated by pressing the rotary knob and the controller is responsive to operation of said switch to effect selection of a foodstuff group in said first mode and a foodstuff in said second mode.

More preferably, the display means comprises foodstuff group indicating means around the knob. Still more preferably, the display means comprises a foodstuff indicating means for indicating foodstuffs in dependence on the angular position of the knob or foodstuff indicating means around the knob.

The foodstuff group indicating means and the foodstuff indicating means may comprise a common active display, controlled by the controller to indicate foodstuff groups in the first mode and foodstuffs in the second mode.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cooker having a main body, a control panel and a heat source for cooking which is controlled by the control panel, the control panel comprising a support plate installed on a surface portion of the main body, a manipulation unit movably installed on the support plate, a memory storing a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to each menu group and a cooking condition for each menu, a means installed on the support plate, for displaying the menu groups according to movement of the manipulation unit, a means installed on the support plate, for displaying the menus belonging to each menu group according to movement of the manipulation unit, a selection unit for selecting a desired menu group and a desired menu from the menu groups and the menu displayed on the menu group displaying means and the menu displaying means, respectively, and a controller for controlling the heat source to perform the cooking condition of the selected menu according to selection of the selection unit.

Preferably, the manipulation unit comprises a rotary knob being rotatable.

Preferably, the selection unit comprises a selection switch operating by pushing of the rotary knob.

Advantageously, the menu group displaying means includes an annular display for displaying the menu groups in sequence around the rotary knob.

Preferably, the annular display includes a plurality of icons for displaying the menu groups.

Advantageously, the cooker further comprises a plurality of LCDs corresponding to the respective icons of the annular display.

Advantageously, the menu displaying means displays the menus on the annular display according to rotation of the rotary knob in sequence.

Advantageously, the menu displaying means comprises a second display for displaying the menus according to rotation of the rotary knob in sequence.

Preferably, the second display displays the respective menus one by one and in sequence.

Preferably, the second display highlights the menu corresponding to the rotation position of the rotary knob among the plurality of menus to be displayed on the second display.

5- Preferably, the menu group displaying means includes a display for displaying the menu groups in sequence according to rotation of the rotary knob.

Preferably, the menu displaying means displays the menus under the menu group selected through the selection unit on the display.

Preferably, the display displays the respective menu groups one by one and in sequence.

Preferably, the display highlights the menu group corresponding to the rotation position of the rotary knob among the plurality of menu groups to be displayed on the display.

Preferably, the cooker comprises an indicator for indicating rotation positions of the rotary knob.

Preferably, the indicator is provided on the rotary knob.

Preferably, the indicator comprises a plurality of LEDs provided around the rotary knob, corresponding to rotation positions of the rotary knob.

Preferably, the plurality of LEDs are lighted sequentially during cooking.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a microwave oven according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the control panel of the microwave oven of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a first alternative control panel; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second alternative control Panel; Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are schematic views of the control panel of Figure 4 which show sequentially menu groups, menus and cooking conditions; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a third alternative control panel; Figure 7 is a block diagram of the control circuitry of the microwave oven of Figure 1; Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method according to the present invention; and Figure 9 is a front elevational View of a control panel of a conventional microwave oven.

Referring to Figure 1, a microwave oven according to the present invention comprises a main body 1 partitioned into a cooking chamber 3 and a component chamber (not shown), the cooking chamber 3 has a door 7 providing access to the interior thereof, and a control panel 10 mounted at the front of the component chamber. A magnetron, a high-voltage transformer and a high-voltage capacitor (none of which are shown) are housed in the component chamber. The control panel 10 comprises a support plate 11 at the front of the component chamber and a printed circuit board (PCB) 20 behind the support plate 11.

A manipulable unit is provided at the centre of the support plate 11 so that a user can select a menu, a menu group and a cooking condition. Means is also provided in the support plate 11 for displaying a plurality of menu groups the plurality of menus belonging to the menu groups. The control panel 10 is provided with a memory (not shown) storing a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to each menu group and a plurality of cooking conditions for the plurality of menus.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, two forms of manipulation unit comprise a rotary knob 30 for selecting a menu group, a menu belonging to the menu group and the cooking condition for the menu. Preferably, the rotary knob 30 additionally includes a selection function for selecting the menu group, the menu belonging to the menu group and the cooking condition therefor. The selection function is performed by a selection switch (not shown) which is operated by push the rotary knob 30. Desirably, the rotary knob 30 has the functions of initiating the selection of a desired cooking menu and starting cooking. On the rotary knob 30 is provid ed W a marker 31 for indicating the angular position of the rotary knob 30. With or instead of the marker 31, an LED display 33 having a plurality of sections may be provided around the rotary knob 30, for indicating the angular position of the rotary knob 30.

The means for displaying the menu groups comprises a ring-shaped display 35, disposed around the LED display 33, for displaying a plurality of menu groups continuously. The ring-shaped display 35 is comprised of a plurality of icons indicating respective menu groups. The means for indicating menus belonging to the menu groups is comprises a rectangular display 12, provided in the upper part of the support plate 11, for displaying the menus belonging to the menu group which indicated by the icon at the angular position of the rotary knob 30. The display 12 can display a plurality of cooking conditions for a selected menu.

Preferably, in the lower part of the support plate 11 is provided a cancel button 39 for cancelling a selection of a menu group, a menu or a cooking condition thereof selected using the rotary knob 30. A multi-purpose button 37 may also be provided in the lower part of the support plate 11. The multi-purpose button 37 may be used for selecting a desired menu, initiating a selection of a desired menu or initiating cooking of the selected menu, in lieu of those functions of the rotary knob 30.

The PCB 20 is provided with an LM portion 40 which is comprised of a plurality of LCD sections 40a, 40b,... to correspond to the respective icons of the ring shaped display 3 5 provided at the support plate 11. Referring specifically to Figure 3, the respective menu groups displayed in the LCD sections 40a, 40b, of the LCD portion 40 are indicated in the ring-shaped display 35.

PCB 20 is also provided with an LED indicator 43 having a plurality of LEDs 43a, 43b,... for indicating the angular position of the rotary knob 30 and aligned with respective icons. The LEDs 43a, 43b, are illuminated by an LED driver 45 (see Figure 7) operating according to the angular position of the rotary knob 30. so that a user is expressly informed of his or her selection of a menu group. Only the LCD section 40a at the point where the rotary knob 30 is positioned may be lighted when 8 the rotary knob 30 is positioned at the section 40a of the LCD 40. In addition to or instead of lighting the LCD section 40a, the corresponding LED 43a provided inside of the LCD section 40a may emit light. An LCD 60 is mounted to the PCB and provides the image for the rectangular display 12. The LCD 60 may serve as a timer indicator for indicating a cooking time at a normal situation. When a signal for selecting a menu group is to be generated using the rotary knob 30 or the multi purpose button 37 is inputted, a user can easily find out his or her desired menu by looking at the LCD 60 in which menus belonging to the menu group and cooking conditions thereof are displayed in sequence. The menu group corresponding to an icon of the annular display 34 may be further displayed in the LCD 60, from which the user can know his or her selected menu group.

Referring to Figures 4, 5a, 5b and 5c, the rotary knob 30 of another embodiment is rotatably installed in the centre of the support plate 11. In addition, it is preferable that the rotary knob 30 be capable of initiating selection of a desired menu and initiating cooking. An LED display 33 and a ring-shaped display 35 for indicating cooking options are provided around the rotary knob 30.

An annular LCD portion 40 is mounted to the PCB 20 at a position corresponding to the ring-shaped display 35. The LCD portion 40 is comprises a plurality of LCD sections 40a, 40b, 40c,..., for indicating respective menu groups, menus belonging to menu groups and cooking conditions. Each LCD section of the LCD portion 40 is driven by an LCD driver 42 (see Figure 7).

An LED indicator 43 having a plurality of LEDs 43a, 43b, is mounted to the PCB 20 within of the LCD portion 40. The LEDs 43a, 43b, are aligned with the LCD sections and the LED display 33 in the support plate 11. The LED indicator 43 is driven by an LED driver 45 (see Figure 7) and the LEDs thereof are selectively illuminated according to the angular position of the rotary knob 30. For example, as illustrated in Figures 5a, 5b and 5c, when the rotary knob 30 is positioned at the LCD section 40b indicating the confectionery menu group, the corresponding LED 43b within the LCD section 40b is illuminated. When a menu group is selected by the rotary knob 30, a plurality of menus belonging to the menu group are indicated 9_ on the respective LCD sections 40a, 40b, etc.. When a menu is selected, cooking conditions displayed in LCD sections 40a, 40b, etc..

Referring to Figure 6, in another embodiment, the control panel 10 includes a support plate 11 at the front of a component chamber (not shown) and a PCB 20 behind the support plate 11. A rotary knob 30 is provided at the centre of the support plate 11 selecting a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition. A rectangular display 12 is located in the upper part of the support plate for displaying a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to the menu groups and cooking conditions for the menus.

An LED display 33 having a plurality of sections is provided around the rotary knob 30. A cancel button 39 for cancelling a selection of a cooking option selected by the rotary knob 30 is provided in the lower part of the support plate 11. A multi- purpose button 37 may also be provided in lower part of the support plate 11.

A plurality of LEDs 43a, 43b,... aligned with respective sections of the LED display 33 of the support plate are mounted to the PCB 20. The LEDs 43a, 43b, are illuminated by the LED driver 45 (see Figure 4) operating according to initiation of menu selection by means of the rotary knob 30. An LCD 60 is mounted to the PCB 20 at a position corresponding to the rectangular display 12. The rotary knob and the display 12 depicted in Figure 6 are of the same as those described above.

Therefore, the description thereof will be omitted.

The operation of the above-described control panels will now be described.

Referring to Figure 7, the controller 50 comprises a position detector 51 for determining the angular position of the rotary knob 30, a determiner 55 for determining a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition as the finally select cooking option based on a selection signal from the cooking option selection switch (not shown), and a driving signal generator 53 for generating signals for driving a magnetron driver 17, the LED driver 45 and the LCD driver 42.

The process selecting a desired cooking option by means the controller 50 win now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 8. A user initiates selection of a menu by manipulating the rotary knob 30 (S10). For example, a menu can be selected by pushing the rotary knob 30 for a pre-determined period or rotating it toward a predetermined angular position. Alternatively, the menu can be selected by pushing a multi-purpose button 37.

A signal to initiate a selection of a menu is inputted into the controller 50, the controller 50 generates a signal for driving the LCD driver 42, so that a plurality of menu groups are displayed in the ring-shaped display 35 according to the input menu selection initiating signal (S20).

When the menu groups are displayed on the annular display 40, the user rotates the rotary knob 30 to point to his or her desired menu group. While the rotary knob 30 is being rotated by the user, the position detector 51 determines the degree of rotation of the rotary knob 30. When the degree of rotation of the rotary knob 30 is determined, the controller 50 controls the LED driver 45 to generate a signal to light up the LED corresponding to the knob's angular position (S30).

The user selects a desired menu group, indicated by a section of the LED display 33 corresponding to the lighted LED 43 by pushing the rotary knob 30 (S40). When the menu group is selected by the user, a plurality of menus belonging to the selected menu group are displayed on the rectangular display 12 by means of the LCD 60 (S50). The user can move to another menu by rotating the rotary knob 30, to select another menu from the indicated menus (S60). When a desired menu group and a desired menu have been selected, the user selects a desired cooking condition therefor by rotating the rotary knob 30 in the same manner as in selection of the menu group and the menu (S70 and S80).

When the user has selected the desired menu group, menu and cooking condition therefor, the cooking option determiner 55 of the controller 50 finally determines the final cooking option in combination with the selected menu group, menu and cooking condition therefor (S90). When the final cooking option has been determined, the user operates the rotary knob 30 to generate a signal to initiate cooking (S100). Alternatively, the cooking initiating signal can be generated by the separate button 37 which can serve as a cooking start button.

When the cooking start signal is inputted into the controller 50, the controller 50 controls the magnetron driver 17 to generate a signal to drive the magnetron so that food is cooked according to the final cooking option (S 110). While the food is being cooked by operation of the magnetron, the controller 50 controls the LED driver 45 to light up the LEDs 43a, 43b,... sequentially so as to indicate that the cooking is taking place (S120).

If the user makes a wrong selection on the menu group, the menu or the cooking condition, the selected cooking option can be cancelled by pushing the cancel button 39 in any steps of S10 through S120.

In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, LEDs 43a, 43b, are provided around the rotary knob 30 to indicate selection of a menu group, a menu and a cooking time therefor. However, in addition to or instead of the LEDs 43, respective sections 40a, 40b, 40c, etc. of the LCD portion 40 can be lit up.

The above-described first embodiment can be modified such that the menu groups, the menus belonging to each menu group, and cooking conditions therefor can be displayed in sequence on a plurality of icon sections of the rectangular display. The embodiments of the present invention have been described in reference to a microwave oven, only as an example. The present invention can be applied to bread makers, gas oven ranges and other cookers, -which employ the mode of automatic cooking. In the above-described embodiments there has been described an installation of the rotary knob being rotatable. However, a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition therefor can be looked for and selected by using a slidable operator slidably moved or a joystick, etc.

As described above, the present invention makes it possible to increase the efficiency of using the space of the support plate and to indicate the menus and cooking conditions therefor in a simple structure on the support plate.

Claims

1. A cooker including user input means, display means, memory storing data identifying a plurality of foodstuff groups, foodstuffs within said groups and cooking operation control data for said foodstuffs, and a controller for controlling operation of the oven in dependence on operation of the user input means and said data, wherein the user input means is a manually moveable element and the controller is operable in a first mode to display said foodstuff groups for selection of a foodstuff group by means of said manually moveable element and in a second mode, immediately succeeding selection of a foodstuff group in said first mode, to display the foodstuffs within the selected group for selection of a foodstuff by means of said manually moveable element.

2. A cooker according to claim 1, wherein the manually moveable element comprises a rotary knob.

3. A cooker according to claim 2, wherein the user input means comprises a switch operated by pressing the rotary knob and the controller is responsive to operation of said switch to effect selection of a foodstuff group in said first mode and a foodstuff in said second mode.

4. A cooker according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the display means comprises foodstuff group indicating means around the knob.

5. A cooker according to claim 4, wherein the display means comprises a foodstuff indicating means for indicating foodstuffs in dependence on the angular position of the knob.

6. A cooker according to claim 4, wherein the display means comprises foodstuff indicating means around the knob.

7. A cooker according to claim 6, wherein the foodstuff group indicating means and the foodstuff indicating means comprise a common active display, controlled by 14- the controller to indicate foodstuff groups in the first mode and foodstuffs in the second mode.

8. A cooker having a main body, a control panel and a heat source for cooking which is controlled by the control panel, the control panel comprising:

a support plate installed on a surface portion of the main body; a manipulation unit movably installed on the support plate; a memory storing a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to each menu group and a cooking condition for each menu; a means installed on the support plate, for displaying the menu groups according to movement of the manipulation unit; a means installed on the support plate, for displaying the menus belonging to each menu group according to movement of the manipulation unit; a selection unit for selecting a desired menu group and a desired menu from the menu groups and the menu displayed on the menu group displaying means and the menu displaying means, respectively; and a controller for controlling the heat source to perform the cooking condition of the selected menu according to selection of the selection unit.

9. A cooker according to claim 8, wherein the manipulation unit comprises a rotary knob being rotatable.

10. A cooker according to claim 9, wherein the selection unit comprises a selection switch operating by pushing of the rotary knob.

11. A cooker according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the menu group displaying means includes an annular display for displaying the menu groups in sequence around the rotary knob.

12. A cooker according to claim 11, wherein the annular display includes a plurality of icons for displaying the menu groups.

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13. A cooker according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of LCDs corresponding to the respective icons of the annular display.

14. A cooker according to claim 13, wherein the menu displaying means displays the menus on the annular display according to rotation of the rotary knob in sequence.

15. A cooker according to claim 13, wherein the menu displaying means comprises a second display for displaying the menus according to rotation of the rotary knob in sequence.

16. A cooker according to claims 9 or 10, wherein the menu group displaying means includes a display for displaying the menu groups in sequence according to rotation of the rotary knob.

17. A cooker according to claim 16, wherein the menu displaying means displays the menus under the menu group selected through the selection unit on the display.

18. A cooker according to claim 9, comprising an indicator for indicating rotation positions of the rotary knob.

19. A cooker according to claim 18, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of LEDs provided around the rotary knob, corresponding to rotation positions of the rotary knob.

20. A cooker according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of LEDs are lighted sequentially during cooking.

21. A microwave oven according to any preceding claim.

22. A microwave oven including a user input means substantially as described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 4 or 6 of the accompanying drawings.